Kabbalah/Chassidut

updated b

Kabbala and
the East

Rabbi
Abba said [Zohar 1:99b]:

One day I came to a city of the people of the East, and
they told me some wisdom that they had inherited from ancient times.
They also had books explaining this wisdom, and they brought me one
such book.

In this book it was written that when a person meditates
in this world, a spirit (ruach) is transmitted to him from on
high. The type of spirit depends on the desire to which he attaches
himself. If his mind attaches itself to something lofty and holy, then
that is what he transmits down to himself. But if his mind attaches
itself to the Other Side, and he meditates on this, then that will be
what he transmits down to himself.

They said, "It all depends on word, deed, and the
individual's desire to attach himself. Through these, he transmits downward
to himself that side to which he becomes attached."

In that book I found all the [idolatrous] rites and practices
involved in the worship of the stars and constellations. It included
the things needed for such rites, as well as instructions how one must
meditate in order to transmit their [influence] to himself.

In the same manner, one who wishes to attach himself on
high through Ruach HaKodesh must do so with deed, word, and desire
of the heart, meditating in that area. This is what it depends on when
one wishes to bind himself to something and transmit its influence to
himself

I said to them, "My children, the things in that
book are very close to the teachings of the Torah. But you must keep
yourselves from these books in order that your hearts not be drawn to
their [idolatrous] practices and all the [other] facets mentioned there,
and lest you be drawn away from serving the Blessed Holy One."

All these books can confuse a person. This is because
the people of the East were great sages, who inherited this wisdom from
Abraham. He had given it to the sons of his concubines, as it is written,
"To the sons of the concubines that Abraham had taken, Abraham
gave gifts" (Genesis 25:6). [This was originally true wisdom] but
later it was drawn into many [idolatrous] sides.